Garbage disposal: Rawalpindi government to outsource trash collection

New plan based on ‘Lahore model’ includes collection, transportation and disposal of waste.

RAWALPINDI:

The Rawalpindi City District Government (CDG) will be handing responsibility for solid waste management and disposal to private contractors, apparently following the Lahore model involving modern techniques to keep the city clean.

During a meeting presided over by Rawalpindi Division Commissioner Imdadullah Bosal on Wednesday, a Turkish firm hired as consultants shared their views and heard those of officials from the district solid waste management department.

Representatives from Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA), Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA), public hospitals, Rawalpindi Cantonment Board and traders were also present at the occasion.

In the meeting, it was revealed that all steps had been discussed with the concerned departments and higher government officials.

Private contractors will be asked to collect, transport and dispose of solid waste from urban areas of the city, said an official.

The CDGR’s solid waste management department had already hired the services of Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) to plan and design the project for Rawalpindi.

The success of the programme in Lahore was cited by the Punjab government which has called for introducing such projects in other big cities such as Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Faisalabad and Multan, said a CDG official.

The consultant firm has already planned how the successful contractor would collect and transport waste but has yet to decide how to dispose it of, the official said.

“The consultant will decide what rates can be offered to the contractor after going through the methods that would be adopted,” he added.

According to the official, another ongoing problem, the cleanliness of drains in the city, could also be handed over to the successful bidder even though this was not part of LWMC’s responsibilities in Lahore.

The Rawalpindi District Coordination Officer (DCO) has already issued newspaper advertisements inviting prequalification bids from local and foreign companies, while stressing on international experience.

Municipal Services Executive District Officer (EDO) Malik Imtiaz Ahmed said the CDG solid waste management department would not be dissolved, but would act as the “employer” and keep a vigilant eye on the contractor.

In response to a question, the EDO said no CDG sanitation staffers would be sacked, but would be reassigned to the contractor and would be paid according to the work rate approved by the government and the contractor.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 1^st, 2012.